Device For Dispensing A Preferably Cosmetic Fluid

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a device ( 1 ), comprising a valve element ( 2 ) and a valve seat ( 4 ) associated therewith, for dispensing a preferably cosmetic fluid. The invention also relates to the use of thermoplastic silicone for producing a valve element. The aim of the invention is to produce the aforementioned device in a simple and inexpensive manner. For this purpose, the valve element ( 2 ) is produced from a thermoplastic silicone. The valve element is especially injection-molded from thermoplastic silicone at a processing temperature of from 140° C. to 250° C.

The present invention relates to a device for dispensing a preferablycosmetic fluid as set forth in the preamble of claim 1 as well to a useof thermoplastic silicon for manufacturing a valve element of such adevice.

The fluid is, particularly, a liquid, a foam, a gel, a lotion, asuspension or the like. As needed, the fluid can also contain dissolvedgas or a gas phase. The term “cosmetic liquid” is intended to refer, inits narrower meaning, above all to bodily care and cleaning products,cosmetics, and the like, such as shaving foam, shaving gel, hair gel orthe like. However, technical or other liquids also come intoconsideration. In the following, for the sake of simplicity and due tothe emphasized use, only “cosmetic fluid” is mentioned in many cases.

EP 0 442 858 A2 discloses a dispensing device with a rigid lower partand an elastic upper part. A pump chamber is formed between the upperpart and the lower part. The upper part is designed as a single pieceand has a flap-like valve element to form an intake valve in the pumpchamber. Moreover, the upper part, together with the lower part, forms adelivery valve. For this purpose, a groove-like delivery channel isformed with a curved cross-section into which a delivery section of theupper part is elastically pretensioned. The lower part is preferablymade of polypropylene or polyethylene by means of injection molding. Theupper part is preferably vacuum-formed of thermoplastic polyethylene.The known dispensing device does not function satisfactorily, since atrouble-free closure of the valves is not always ensured. Moreover, themanufacture of the upper part and lower part is elaborate because itrequires different methods.

The object of the present invention is to provide a device and a use ofthermoplastic silicon for the manufacture of a valve element, so thatsimple, inexpensive manufacture particularly of all parts throughinjection molding is made possible with good sealing and closingcharacteristics of the valve element.

The abovementioned object is achieved by a device as set forth in claim1 or a use as set forth in claim 15. Advantageous modifications are thesubject of the subsidiary claims.

One essential idea of the present invention lies in the manufacture ofthe valve element of thermoplastic silicon.

The elasticity of the silicon is very advantageous with respect to thesealing effect and plasticity of the valve element.

By using thermoplastic silicon, a substantially simpler processing ismade possible, particularly by means of conventional injection molding.This is not possible with conventional silicon manufactured from twocomponents immediately prior to processing and very considerably reducesthe mechanical complexity and time required.

Particularly, the proposed use of thermoplastic silicon to manufacture avalve element of a device for dispensing a preferably cosmetic fluid,with the valve element being injection-molded at a processingtemperature of 140° C. to 250° C., makes manufacture simple andinexpensive. Particularly, conventional injection molds and injectionmachinery can be used here.

Especially preferably, a provision is made that the valve element isinjected at least in part directly against the valve seat and/or anotherpart of the device—particularly in the same mold in which the valve seator the part was injected previously. The valve and the part canparticularly be manufactured from an inexpensive polyolefin such aspolypropylene. This results in a very simple and inexpensivemanufacturing process. Particularly, an otherwise required assembly ofthe valve element in the device, particularly at the valve seat or otherparts of the device, can be omitted. Moreover, special machines forspecial manufacture of the valve element are not necessary.

The valve element is preferably elastically pretensioned against thevalve seat and is designed to be self-closing. This permits a simpleconstruction.

The valve element is preferably fastened non-positively or positively tothe device, particularly by means of at least one engagement part orthrough injection. This allows, particularly in combination with thepreferred immediate injection of the valve element, for very simplemanufacture, since other mounting or fastening steps can be omitted.

Further advantages, features, characteristics and aspects of the presentinvention follow from the claims and the following description of apreferred embodiment based on the drawing. The sole FIGURE shows:

a perspective, exploded view of a proposed valve device.

FIG. 1 shows a proposed device 1 for dispensing a preferably cosmeticfluid (not shown) in the sense indicated at the outset. The device 1can, particularly, be designed as a dispenser head or actuator, a dosingpump or hand-operated pump or the like. The device 1 can also beintegrated into another device, such as a pump or the like.

The device 1 has a preferably at least partially elastically deformablevalve element 2 which is provided with a particularly arched orchanneled contact area 3.

The device 1 further has a valve seat 4 allocated to the valve element 2or its contact area 3 which is formed in the example shown by aparticularly arched or cap-like part 5 of the device 1. The part 5 orthe valve seat 4 and the valve element 2 together form a valve of thedevice 1 for the fluid.

The valve element 2 and the part 5 are depicted in FIG. 1 as beingspaced apart from other or in exploded view merely for the sake ofillustration. In fact, the valve element 2 is preferably notmanufactured separately from the part 5 but rather directlyinjection-molded against same.

The valve element 2 is preferably provided with at least one engagementpart 6 which engages into a corresponding undercut or recess 7 on thevalve seat 4 or part 5 in order to ensure a secure fastening of thevalve element 2 and/or seal. However, a constructive reversal is alsopossible here in which the engagement part 6 is disposed or formed onthe part 5.

The valve element 2 and part 5 are preferably connected to eachother—particularly also inseparably—by means of other engagement parts(not shown) which engage, for example, in recesses or openings 8 andbring about a particularly positive connection.

The valve seat 4 and/or the part 5 are preferably injection-molded,particularly from a thermoplast, very preferably from a polyolefin suchas polypropylene or the like, and particularly rigidly. However, othersuitable materials can be used.

The valve element 2 is particularly injection-molded directly againstthe valve seat 4 or the part 5. Preferably, the injection of the valveelement 2 takes place in the same injection mold in which the part 5 wasinjection-molded with the valve seat 4 after the part 5 is at leastsolid enough for injection of the valve element 2. This results in verysimple, quick and inexpensive manufacture.

In the finished state, the valve element 2 is adjacent with itspreferably channeled contact area 3 to the valve seat 4 or engages insame. This forms a valve of the device 1, which is preferably designedto be self-closing. Optionally, the valve element 2, particularly itscontact area 3, is elastically pretensioned against the valve seat inorder to achieve a good seal. This pretensioning can be achieved bymeans of appropriate dimensional adaptation and consideration of theshrinking behavior upon cooling.

The valve or contact area 3 is preferably enclosed by the engagementelement 6 on all sides or in a U-shape, with the engagement element 6engaging inseparably into the correspondingly continuous recess 7, sothat the fluid exiting from the part 5 through the delivery opening 9can only be discharged between valve seat 4 and contact area 3—along thegroove.

As needed, the valve can be opened by manual actuation or the like. Inthe example shown, the opening of the valve takes place particularly inthat the fluid (not shown) lifts up the valve element 2, particularlyonly its contact area 3, when there is sufficient fluidpressure—particularly when the device 1 is pressed down to open a feedvalve—so that the valve of the device 1 is opened and the dispensing ofthe fluid is made possible. When a certain pressure is undershot, thevalve preferably closes automatically as a result of the restoringforces bringing the valve element 2 or its contact area 3 to rest againon the valve seat 4.

According to the inventive proposal, the valve element 2 consists ofthermoplastic silicon. Beyond the normal elastic characteristics of asilicon, the silicon is thermoplastic. Particularly, it is a copolymer,such as a two-phase-constructed block copolymer, very especiallypreferably a polydimethyl siloxane urea copolymer. The Shore A hardnessof the silicon is preferably 40 to 100, particularly 60 to 100 (measuredper DIN 53505).

The use of the thermoplastic silicon allows for a considerablesimplification of the manufacture. Particularly, the injection molds,injection machinery or the like used for the other components such asthe part 5 or the valve seat 4 can also be used to manufacture the valveelement 2. Particularly, in contrast to conventional silicon, thethermoplastic silicon does not require working at significantly elevatedtemperatures, no processing of two components to manufacture thesilicon, and no (substantial) hardening after molding.

Rather, the thermoplastic silicon allows for the injection moldingmanufacture of even thin-walled, elastic valve elements 2 at aprocessing temperature of preferably 140° C. to 250° C.

In the example shown, the valve element 2 is designed at leastsubstantially in the manner of a disc, with the engagement part 6 andother optional engagement elements (not shown) which engage in openings8 in the part 5 ensuring a secure fastening of the valve element 2 onthe part 5. Particularly, after injection, the valve element 2 isconnected inseparably to the part 5. Despite the immediate injection,the valve element 2 is able to separate from or lift off the part 5 orvalve seat 4 in the desired areas, particularly with its contact area 3,in order to open the valve. This is a special characteristic andadvantage of thermoplastic silicon. Namely, it does not bond directly tothe material of the part 5 upon injection.

The device 1 can have a pump chamber which is preferably delimited orformed at least to some degree by the part 5. Particularly, fluid canthen be dispensed from the pump chamber through manual deformation ofthe part 5, particularly through pressing down, via the valve formed bythe contact area 3 and the valve seat 4. The part 5 is thenappropriately designed to be elastically deformable for this purpose.Subsequently, fluid can be taken up, particularly sucked, back into thepump chamber through preferably self-actuating elastic resetting of thepart 5.

According to one variation (not shown), the valve element 2 can also bemanufactured, particularly injection-molded, separately and,independently from the valve seat 4/part 5, and in such case not besolidly attached to same in the assembled state. Alternatively or inaddition, with its outstanding characteristics, the thermoplasticsilicon can also be used for another particularly injection-molded partof the device 1 in the abovementioned manner.

1. Device for dispensing a preferably cosmetic fluid, with aparticularly elastically deformable valve element and particularly withan allocated valve seat (4), wherein the valve element consists ofthermoplastic silicon.
 2. Device as set forth in claim 1, wherein thevalve element is injection-molded, particularly injection-moldeddirectly against the valve seat or another part of the device,particularly the part forming the valve seat.
 3. Device as set forth inclaim 1, wherein the valve element is elastically pretensioned againstthe valve seat.
 4. Device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the valveelement is designed to be self-closing.
 5. Device as set forth in claim1, wherein the valve element can be opened by manual actuation and/orpressure of the fluid.
 6. Device as set forth in claim 1, wherein thevalve element fastened non-positively and/or positively to the device orits part, particularly by means of at least one engagement part. 7.Device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the silicon is a copolymer,preferably a two-phase-constructed block copolymer, particularly apolydimethyl siloxane urea copolymer.
 8. Device as set forth in claim 1,wherein the silicon has a Shore A hardness of 60 to
 100. 9. Device asset forth in claim 1, wherein the valve seat consists of a thermoplast,preferably a polyolefin, particularly polypropylene.
 10. Device as setforth in claim 1, wherein the valve seat is injection-molded.
 11. Deviceas set forth in claim 1, wherein the valve seat is formed by anelastically deformable, preferably one-piece part of the device. 12.Device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the device has a pump chamberwhich is delimited or formed at least partially by a part of the device,particularly wherein fluid can be dispensed from the pump chamberthrough manual deformation of the part and can be subsequently taken up,particularly sucked, into the pump chamber through preferablyself-actuating elastic resetting of the part.
 13. Device as set forth inclaim 1, wherein the valve element forms, particularly together with thevalve seat, an inlet, delivery, one-way or dispenser valve for thefluid.
 14. Device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the device isdesigned as a dispenser head, manually actuated pump or dispenser. 15.Use of thermoplastic silicon to manufacture a valve element of a devicefor dispensing a preferably cosmetic fluid, with the valve element beinginjection-molded from the silicon at a processing temperature of 140 to250° C.
 16. Use as set forth in claim 15, wherein the valve element isinjection-molded directly against a valve seat of the device.
 17. Use asset forth in claim 16, wherein the valve seat or a part of the deviceforming same is injection-molded before the valve element—particularlyin the same injection mold.
 18. Use as set forth in claim 16, whereinthe valve seat or a part of the device forming same is manufactured froma thermoplast, preferably from a polyolefin, particularly polypropylene.19. Use as set forth in claim 15, wherein the silicon is a copolymer,preferably a two-phase-constructed block copolymer, particularly apolydimethyl siloxane urea copolymer.
 20. Use as set forth in claim 15,wherein the silicon has a Shore A hardness of 60 to 100.